The final round of the Funny Car Chaos A-Field at Great Lakes Dragaway certainly lived up to the series’ name.
Before the dramatic incident unfolded, the stage was set for an incredible showdown between two of the quickest cars in the field.
Keith Zimmer qualified No. 1 in the A-Field with a stout 3.678-second pass at 205.57 mph. Waiting for him in the final round was No. 2 qualifier Luke Furr, who had laid down an impressive 3.731 at 199.46 mph during qualifying.
With both Funny Cars performing at a high level throughout the event, fans were expecting a thrilling side-by-side battle when the tree dropped.
They got a show, but it wasn’t the one anyone expected.
Wheelie Bar Failure Sends Funny Car Airborne
When the lights came down, Furr’s Funny Car launched hard as expected. The nose immediately began to rise, but instead of settling back down, the car continued climbing.
Within moments, the Funny Car was completely airborne.
As the car pitched upward, the body separated from the chassis and both came crashing back to the racing surface.
The cause of the crash was later identified as a broken wheelie bar.
A Ride No Driver Wants To Take
The entire sequence happened in a matter of seconds, leaving Furr with little opportunity to react.
Once the wheelie bar failed and the car launched into the air, there was little the veteran driver could do except hang on and ride it out. The incident looked like something straight out of the early days of Funny Car racing, when wheelstands and wild rides were a more common sight.
Fortunately, despite the dramatic nature of the crash, Furr was able to walk away uninjured.
The video captured by Red Line Motorsports Media shows just how high Furr’s Funny Car climbed before returning to the track surface.
It’s a reminder of just how quickly things can change in drag racing, and how important modern safety systems are in protecting drivers during high-speed incidents.
Check out the video to see one of the wildest Funny Car Chaos moments of the season.
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